Ask us for an identification

If you find spiders or insects you can't identify by using our spiders web-page, or the other resources above, you are most welcome to contact us. We might be able to identify the specimen immediately from your description or we might need to examine it further at Te Papa.

Information to send with your request or specimen

Please include all the information about the specimen you think is relevant, as well as all the main collecting details:

the place where the specimen was found

the date when it was found

the name of the collector

your name (if you are not the collector) and contact details.

Sending live specimens

You can send live specimens to us provided they are well packed and sent by a fast delivery service. In the case of spiders and other predators, do not place more than one live specimen in the same container. Otherwise one will usually kill and eat the other.

Sending dead specimens

If you do not want to send a live specimen, there are two relatively painless methods of killing an arthropod:

placing it in a freezer for at least twenty-four hoursFreezing is recommended for winged insects. Freezing slows down the metabolism until it eventually stops and the specimen freezes.

putting it in boiling water for a few minutesBoiling water is better for soft-bodied insects as well as centipedes, millipedes, spiders, harvestmen, and other arachnids. It kills the specimen almost immediately.

Once the specimen is dead, put it into a container of 70% alcohol, either methylated spirits or ethanol, so that it doesn’t decompose. Use a strong container with a tight seal that does not leak.

Alternatively, if the specimen is a hard-bodied insect such as a beetle, you can send it in a strong, well-padded container rather than in liquid. The padding will protect the specimen against damage while in transit.